Morocco’s captain Achraf Hakimi faced boos from sections of the crowd during the World Cup group stage, following the announcement that he is set to stand trial in a rape case.

Just hours before Morocco’s clash with Scotland on 19 June, a French appeals court confirmed that Hakimi would face trial on rape charges. The Paris Saint-Germain defender, who had featured in his club’s Champions League triumph in May, had appealed a February ruling from an investigative judge. That earlier decision aligned with the recommendation of public prosecutors that the Moroccan international should go to trial.

Hakimi, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing, was subjected to loud jeers each time he touched the ball during Morocco’s second Group C match. The decision from the Versailles appeals court came only a few hours before Morocco’s 1-0 victory over Scotland, which followed their 1-1 draw against Brazil in their opening fixture.

The case stems from March 2023, when preliminary charges of rape were filed against Hakimi after a 24-year-old woman alleged that he assaulted her at his home in a suburb of Paris.

Rachel-Flore Pardo, the lawyer representing the complainant, stated that after more than three years of legal proceedings, the court’s decision has brought her client “a sense of relief and hope” following what she described as defamation and public attacks by Hakimi’s defence team.

“She feels relief that she has finally been heard by the justice system and will have her case examined in court,” Pardo said in a statement. “And hope that this trial will encourage other women to come forward and help dismantle the wall of denial and impunity that often surrounds sexual violence, even in the world of men’s football.”

Hakimi responded publicly on X, asserting that his fame played a role in the continuation of the case. “Justice looked me in the eye and told me: ‘If you were not famous, there would never have been a case,’” he wrote. “I chose to remain silent for years. I believed that maintaining dignity, being patient, and trusting the justice system would lead to the right outcome.”

The defender added that the situation has hurt not only him but also his family, and “above all, the truth.” He continued, “I have been waiting for this trial since the first day. And I am now waiting for it impatiently. Finally, I will be able to speak.”

While the trial date has not yet been set, Hakimi’s legal representative, Fanny Colin, stated that the defence remains confident. “The numerous exculpatory elements uncovered during the investigation and judicial inquiry would, in any other case, have led to the dismissal of the proceedings,” Colin said.

She added that the defence “regrets that no consequences were drawn from the contradictions and false statements made by the complainant, her withholding of information from the authorities, her obstruction in the search for truth, and the psychological assessments highlighting both her ambivalence and lack of clarity regarding the reported events.”